Garment-supporter.



UNITED STATES Patented April 19, 1904.

PATENT OFFIC THOMAS M. VVHELESS, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

'GARMENT-I-SUPPORTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 757,701, dated April 19, 1904.

' Applicationfiled beptember 14, 1903. Serial No. 173,119. (No model) To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THoMAs M. WHELESS, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Garment-Supporters, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pair of trousers, illustrating my improved garmentsupporter in position thereon; and Fig. 2 is a detail view of the supporter.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in garment-supporters, the object being to apply the same in position on a pair of trousers so as to support the trousers upon the waist of the wearer and avoid the use of suspenders, such as ordinarily used.

Another object is to construct the device in a cheap and simple manner, so that the same can be applied in and removed from position at the will of the wearer, it being only necessary to connect the same to buttons or arrange suitable fastening devices cooperating with the inner face of the trousers to which the said supporters are to be applied.

With these objects in view the invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts, all as will be hereinafter described and afterward pointed out in the claim.

In the drawings, 1 indicates the waistband of an ordinary pair of trousers, to the inner face of which are secured buttons 2, a pair of such buttons being at each side of the trousers.

3 indicates tabs which are arranged upon the buttons, said tabs being connected to loops 4:, to which are secured the elastic webs 5 of the supporter. Only one end of this web is secured to a loop, while the other end passes through the opposite loop and cooperates with a buckle 6, whereby the length of the web may be adjusted.

It is obvious that many modifications may i be made in the construction, arrangement, and

combination of the several parts constituting the supporter and the means of attaching the same to the garment without in the least departing from the nature and spirit of my invention.

In operation the supporters are arranged on the inner faces of the waistband of the trousers or below the Waistband, if desired, and are so adjusted that when in position they are located above the hip-bones of the pelvis. The ends of the supporters being connected to the trousers enables the elastic web to form practically a chord of a circle and snugly engage the waist above the hip-bones, said elastic web yielding to accommodate movements of the wearer and at the same time supporting the trousers in'their designed position. Where the waistband of the trousers fits snugly, the tendency to bulge at the sides is not perceptible. The tension of the supporters is on the front and back portions of the waistband, causing these portions to fit comfortably. The use of these supporters relieves the pressure of ordinary suspenders upon the shoulders and chest. At the same time there is practically no pressure upon the kidneys or abdomen, the supporters fitting snugly above and upon the pelvic bones, thereby sustaining the weight of the trousers by a straight downward pull.

It will be noticed that the supporters are concealed or covered by the trousers, so that they will not be visible when worn. a material advantage, because when the trousers are worn without a coat the supporters would otherwise be unsightly. By affixing thesupporters to the inner band of the trousers they can rest directly over the hips without the liability of slipping off, as they would be liable to do were the thickness of the trousers interposed between the body of the wearer and supporters.

Having thus described my invention, what isclaimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is Y The combination with a trousers having oppositely-disposed pairs of buttons on the in- This is elastic webs terminally engaging the buttons and disposed on the inner sides of the trousers, the intermediate portions of the Webs having free independent movements with re- 5 spect to the trousers to fit over the hips of the wearer; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses; this 11th day of September, 1903.

THOMAS M. WHELESS.

Witnesses:

GEORGE BAKEWELL, LENORE J. WILSON. 

